DylanJennings

30September2015
UNST124g
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Transition
Ibelievethattheeducationsystemneedstoseesomeformofchange.Ithasbeendifficult
topayforcollegewithouttakingoutloans.Yes,itistruethatIcouldpayoffloans,butpaying
offloansisnotalifestyleIwant.Ibelievepaymenttowardsaninstitutionsnonessential
facilitiesandresourcesshouldbeoptional,ratherthanmandatory.IhadtogotoPSUbecausethe
communitycollegewasmoreexpensiveduetolackoffinancialaidfromthecommunitycollege,
whichalsodidnotofferthemathcoursesIneededtocontinuemypursuittowardsamathmajor.
Ifindthisoutrageous.Communitycollegeshouldalwaysbeanoptionforstartingcollegeafter
highschool.
Ihaveneverlikedhowgettingjobshasworked.Inmyexperience,ithasreliedentirely
onluckandhavingconnections.Ihavehadtwojobs.OneofwhichIhappenedtoapplyrightas
someonequit.TheotherjobIgotbecausemymomworkedthere,butwasabouttoquitand
move,sotheyneededsomeonetofillherposition.BothofthesesituationsIdidnothavetoput
mucheffortintogettingthejob.However,whenImovedheretoPortlandthissummerandtried
togetajob,althoughIappliedtodozensofbusinesses,Ididnotgetasinglephonecallor
interview.
AsIsawwitheachapplicationhereinPortland,manyjobsarerequiringoratleast
preferringabackgroundwithacollegedegree.Fundingforeducationcontinuestogodown,
puttingalargerburdenonstudents.Costsofgettingadegree,transversely,continuetorise.


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Becauseofthissituation,IhavefoundthatIcannotgetajob,yetneedtoinordertobeableto
payformyeducation.
Collegeisappearingtobeastruggletosurvive.Ifeeltheneedtoworkduringschool,
whicheveninjustthefirstweekhasbeenanexhaustingexperienceinitself.Myotheroptionis
toapplyforscholarshipsandgrants.LastyearIworkedduringthesummerandslightlyintothe
schoolyeartobringinalittlecashforthecomingonslaughtofcollegeexpenses.Idecidedthat
betweenworking,school,andmypersonallife,Icouldnotfindhealthybalance.Iquitmyjob
andbecamemuchlessstressedovereverything.Thenafewmonthslatercamethepanickedneed
toapplyforscholarships,whichthankfullyendedupverysuccessfulforme.
Withallofthisinmind,Iwanttosaythatthereistoomuchstressandresponsibilityput
uponstudents.Iunderstandthatcollegeissupposedtobealifechanging,eyeopening
experience,butitallfeelssosudden,andIfeelIhaventproperlybeenpreparedtodealwithit
all.Highschoolsapproachistoteachallofthebasics,butnothingmore.Therearenoreallife
experiencesinhighschool.Ineverhadtoworryaboutpayingforschool,gettingwork,keepinga
budget,ortransportation...Andyoucouldsaythatmyparentsshouldpreparemeforentering
reallife,butwhenitcomesdowntoit,itfeelslikeitiscompletelyuptometofigureitallout.
Whathighschooliscurrentlyisacollectivegroupofteachersthatworkindividuallyto
teachaspecificsubject.WhatIampursuingwilllikelynotinvolvemorethanhalfofwhatI
learnedinhighschool.Highschoolshouldpreparemeforenteringlife,butbydesignitis
againstthis.Ateacherthatgoesoffsubjectandisntteachingthecoursematerialisconsidereda
badteacher,becausetheyarenotmeetingstandards.However,theseteachershavebeenthemost
importantinmylife,becausetheyprovidedinsightintotherealworld.


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Inmyopinion,IshouldneverberequiredtotakeclassesIdontwantto.Collegehas
fixedthistoadegree,inthatclassesaremorefittowhatIaminterestedin,buthighschoolwas
not.Afoundationoflearninginallsubjectsisimportant,butonlytoanextent.Aftertaking
Englishforfouryearsofhighschool,forexample,Icansaywithrelativecertaintythatitisnot
mycalling.ItisarguablewhetherIneededfouryearstofigurethisout,butIwilladmit,atleast
lastyear,mywritingimprovedexponentially.
Allinall,Ifeelthathighschoolcouldbemuchmoredirectedtoastudententering
college.Withthewaythatbusiness,industry,andeconomyare,itischallengingformetofind
workwithoutmydegree.Ithinkthatifthisisthewaythatsocietygoes,thatisfine!Itcouldeven
begreat.Howeverifthisisthecase,thereneedstobemoreemphasisbyhighschoolstohelp
studentswiththeirentryintocollege.Collegeneedstocutbackonthingsthatarentessential,
andcostsoverallneedtogodownacrosstheboard.Ifthesechangescanbemade,Ibelievethat
thefutureworkforcewillbenefitwithhappierpeople,lessstress,andaneasierentryforstudents
intotherealworld.